UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 14A
  Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14 (a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
                             1934 (Amendment No. )


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   (E) (2) )

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[ ] Definitive Additional Materials

[ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to (S) 240.14a-11  ( c )  or (S) 240.14a-12


                            Heritage Bankshares, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person (s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

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         [ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials




Heritage Bankshares, Inc.
200 East Plume Street
Norfolk, Virginia 23510
Telephone (757) 523-2600


June 3, 2002

Dear Stockholder:

         You are cordially  invited to attend the annual meeting of stockholders
of Heritage  Bankshares,  Inc. to be held on Wednesday,  June 26, 2002, at 10:00
a.m.

         This year the meeting will be held at the Heritage Bank & Trust,  Ocean
View Branch, 735 East Ocean View Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23503.

         The  purposes  of this  meeting  are set  forth in the  enclosed  proxy
statement.  In  addition,  we will  present  a report on the  activities  of the
Corporation  and give you an opportunity to ask questions of your Management and
Directors.

         WHETHER  OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND  THE  MEETING,  YOU CAN BE SURE YOUR
SHARES ARE  REPRESENTED  AT THE  MEETING BY  PROMPTLY  COMPLETING,  SIGNING  AND
RETURNING YOUR PROXY FORM.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Keogh                             Peter M. Meredith, Jr.
President                                   Chairman of the Board









HERITAGE BANKSHARES, INC.
200 East Plume Street o Norfolk, Virginia 23510
Telephone (757) 523-2600
(Mailing Address of Principal Executive Offices)

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD JUNE 26, 2002

         The Annual Meeting of the  Stockholders of Heritage  Bankshares,  Inc.,
will be held at the Heritage  Bank & Trust,  Ocean View  Branch,  735 East Ocean
View Avenue, Norfolk,  Virginia, at 10:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, June 26,
2002, for the following purposes:

                  (1) To elect three  directors  to the Board of  Directors  for
three year terms, ending in 2005: F. Dudley Fulton, Gerald L. Parks, and Ross C.
Reeves;

                  (2) To ratify the  appointment  by the Board of  Directors  of
Witt, Mares & Company, PLC as independent accountants of the Corporation for the
year ending December 31, 2002; and

                  (3) To  transact  such other  business  as may  properly  come
before the meeting.

         Stockholders  of record at the close of business on April 26, 2002, are
entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the meeting or any  adjournment  thereof.
Stockholders  are being  mailed a copy of our Annual  Report for the year ending
December 31, 2001 together with this proxy material.

By order of the Board of Directors,




Robert J. Keogh                                      Peter M. Meredith, Jr.
President                                            Chairman of the Board

Norfolk Virginia
June 3, 2002

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
         TO ASSURE YOUR  REPRESENTATION AT THE ANNUAL MEETING,  PLEASE COMPLETE,
DATE, SIGN AND PROMPTLY MAIL THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD. NO POSTAGE IS NECESSARY IF
MAILED IN THE UNITED  STATES.  ANY PERSON GIVING A PROXY HAS THE POWER TO REVOKE
IT AT ANY TIME  BEFORE  IT IS VOTED AT THE  MEETING,  AND  STOCKHOLDERS  WHO ARE
PRESENT AT THE MEETING MAY WITHDRAW THEIR PROXIES AND VOTE IN PERSON.










HERITAGE BANKSHARES, INC.
200 East Plume Street o Norfolk, Virginia 23510
Telephone (757) 523-2600

PROXY STATEMENT
FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

         This proxy statement is furnished in connection  with the  solicitation
by the management of Heritage Bankshares,  Inc., (hereinafter referred to as the
"Corporation"),  on behalf  of the Board of  Directors  of the  Corporation,  of
proxies to be voted at the Annual Meeting of  Stockholders of the Corporation to
be held at the Heritage  Bank & Trust,  Ocean View  Branch,  735 East Ocean View
Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 (the "Annual Meeting"), or
any adjournment  thereof.  All costs of this  solicitation  will be borne by the
Corporation. Proxies may be solicited by regular employees of the Corporation or
its subsidiary,  Heritage Bank & Trust (sometimes hereinafter referred to as the
"Bank"),  at a nominal cost by telephone or visit, and brokers and nominees will
be reimbursed for their expenses in soliciting proxies from beneficial owners.

         All properly  executed proxies in the accompanying form received by the
Corporation  prior to the Annual  Meeting will be voted at the Annual Meeting in
accordance with any direction  noted on the proxies.  Any stockholder may revoke
its proxy at any time before it is voted at the Annual Meeting.

         This proxy  statement  and the  enclosed  form of proxy are first being
sent to stockholders on or about June 3, 2002.

         The Board of  Directors  has  established  April 26, 2002 as the record
date for the determination of stockholders  entitled to notice of and to vote at
the Annual Meeting.  Only  stockholders of record as of the close of business on
April 26, 2002 are entitled to vote at the Annual  Meeting,  and as of that date
there  were  779,975  shares  of  common  stock of the  Corporation  issued  and
outstanding,  par value  $5.00 per share.  Each share is entitled to one vote on
all matters that may come before the Annual Meeting.  Other than the election of
directors, the affirmative vote of a majority of those shares present and voting
(represented  in person or by  properly  executed  proxy) on the action  will be
required to approve any action to be taken at the Annual  Meeting.  The election
of directors of the Corporation  will be determined by a plurality of votes cast
(in person or by properly executed proxy). Abstentions and shares held in street
name  ("Broker  Shares")  voted as to any matter at the Annual  Meeting  will be
included  in  determining  the number of shares  present or  represented  at the
meeting.  Broker  Shares that are not voted on any matter at the Annual  Meeting
will not be included in determining  the number of shares present or represented
at the meeting.

         The Corporation will provide without charge,  on the written request of
any  stockholder,  additional  copies of its Annual  Report for the fiscal  year
ended December 31, 2001, or Form 10-KSB,  including the financial statements and
the schedules attached thereto, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission  on March 29,  2002.  Stockholders  of  record on April 26,  2002 and
beneficial  owners of such  securities  should submit requests for copies of the
report to Catherine P. Jackson, Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Finance, 1450
South Military Highway, Suite l, Chesapeake, Virginia 23320.




PROPOSAL 1:  ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

         The bylaws of the Corporation currently provide for fourteen directors.
The terms of directors  F. Dudley  Fulton,  Gerald L. Parks,  and Ross C. Reeves
expire at the Annual Meeting.

         The Nominating Committee of the Corporation,  at its meeting on January
23, 2002,  recommended the hereinafter  listed nominees to serve as directors of
the Corporation, each of whom is now serving as a director of the Corporation.

         It is the  intention  of the Board of  Directors,  unless  stockholders
specify  otherwise  by their  proxies,  to vote for the election of the nominees
named below.  Although  the Board of  Directors  does not expect that any of the
persons  named  will be unable  to serve as a  director,  should  any of them be
unable to accept nomination or election,  it is intended that shares represented
by the  accompanying  form of proxy will be voted by the proxy  holders for such
other person or persons as may be designated by the current Board of Directors.

         Certain information concerning the nominees is set forth below.

         Directors  are  elected  by  plurality  of the  shares of common  stock
present in person or  represented  by proxy and  entitled  to vote at the Annual
Meeting.  The Board of Directors  unanimously  recommends that all  stockholders
vote "FOR" the director nominees set forth below.


NOMINEES


                                                                                        Shares of the Corporation
                                                                                        Owned Beneficially,
                                                                                        Directly or Indirectly, on
                                                                                        March 22, 2002(1), and %
                                                                                        of Outstanding Shares
         Name                       Age     Principal Occupation
                                            or Employment                               Director          Common
                                            During Last Five Years                      Since             Stock
                                             (to serve until the 2005
                                            Annual Meeting of Stockholders)

                                                                                              
F. Dudley Fulton                    53      President and Chief Executive Officer,      1991              8,300
5306 Lakeside Avenue                        Henderson & Phillips/USI                                      1.06%
Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Gerald L. Parks                     68      Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,       1977              5,195 (2)
27307 Evergreen Lane                        Capes Shipping Agencies, Inc.                                 0.67%
Harborton, VA 23389

Ross C. Reeves                      53      Attorney,                                   1994              4,142 (3)
1068 Algonquin Road                         Willcox & Savage, P.C.                                        0.53%
Norfolk, VA 23505


(1) In calculating  the number of shares of common stock which are  beneficially
owned (and thus the percentage of common stock beneficially  owned), a person is
deemed to own common  stock if that  person has the right to acquire  beneficial
ownership  of common  stock  within  sixty (60) days through the exercise of any
option, warrant or right, or through the conversion of any security.

(2) Includes 4,614 shares owned jointly with his wife.

(3) Includes 3,142 shares held as custodian for others.





SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL
OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT



The following schedule sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership
of the  Corporation's  common  stock as of March  22,  2002,  of (i) each of the
Corporation's  directors;  (ii) each person known by the  Corporation  to be the
holder of 5% or more of the  Corporation's  outstanding  common stock; and (iii)
all of the  Corporation's  directors  and  executive  officers  as a  group.  In
calculating  the number of shares of common stock which are  beneficially  owned
(and thus the percentage of common stock beneficially  owned) a person is deemed
to own common stock if that person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership
of common  stock  within  sixty (60) days  through  the  exercise of any option,
warrant or right, or through the conversion of any security.


                                                                                        Shares of the Corporation
                                                                                        Owned Beneficially,
                                                                                        Directly or Indirectly, on
                                                                                        March 22, 2002, and %
                                                                                        of Outstanding Shares
Name                                Age     Principal Occupation
                                            or Employment                               Director          Common
                                            During Last Five Years                      Since             Stock

                                                                                              
Lisa F. Chandler                    47      Executive Vice President,                   1998              642
6127 Studeley Avenue                        Nancy Chandler Associates, Inc.                               0.08%
Norfolk, VA 23508

James A. Cummings                   59      President,                                  1992              6,128 (1)
2073 Thomas Bishop Lane                     Southern Atlantic Label Company, Inc.                         0.79%
Virginia Beach, VA 23454

F. Dudley Fulton                    53      President and Chief Executive Officer,      1991              8,300
5306 Lakeside Avenue                        Henderson & Phillips/USI                                      1.06%
Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Henry U. Harris, III                50      President,                                  1992              31,305 (2)
1503 North Shore Road                       Virginia Investment Counselors, Inc.                          4.01%
Norfolk, VA 23505

Stephen A. Johnsen                  56      President and Chief Executive Officer,      1988              3,618 (3)
P.O. Box 48                                 Flagship Group, Ltd.                                          0.46%
Pungoteague, VA 23422

Robert J. Keogh                     53      President and Chief Executive Officer,      1988              51,898 (4)
6146 Sylvan Street                          Heritage Bank & Trust                                         6.65%
Norfolk, VA 23508

Peter M. Meredith, Jr.              50      Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,       1992              47,176 (5)
5320 Edgewater Drive                        Meredith Construction Company, Inc.                           6.05%
Norfolk, VA 23508

L. Allan Parrott, Jr.               36      President,
417 Susan Constant Drive                    Tidewater Fleet Supply, LLC                 2002              365
Virginia Beach, VA 23451                                                                                  .05%

Gerald L. Parks                     68      Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,       1977              5,195 (6)
27307 Evergreen Lane                        Capes Shipping Agencies, Inc.                                 0.67%
Harborton, VA 23389







Ross C. Reeves                      53      Attorney,                                   1994              4,142 (7)
1068 Algonquin Road                         Willcox & Savage, P.C.                                        0.53%
Norfolk, VA 23505

Harvey W. Roberts, III              57      Certified Public Accountant                 1993              29,792 (8)
7612 North Shore Road                       McPhillips, Roberts & Deans, PLC                              3.82%
Norfolk, VA 23508
- -------------------------------                                                                           -----------
         All Executive Officers and Directors as a group (11 persons)                                     188,561
                                                                                                          24.18%


(1) Includes 1,500 shares owned jointly with his wife.

(2) Includes (a) 3,555 shares owned jointly with his wife,  and (b) 4,249 shares
held as custodian for others.

(3) Includes 1,650 owned jointly with his wife.

(4) Includes (a) 1,335 shares owned  jointly with his wife and (b) 39,250 shares
issuable  upon  exercise  of options to  purchase  shares  pursuant to the Stock
Option Plan for employees of the Company.  See "Compensation  Pursuant to Plans"
below.

(5) Includes (a) 10,960  shares held as Meredith  Realty  Company,  L.L.C.,  (b)
13,208  shares  held as Pomar  Holding,  L.L.C.  and (c)  3,000  shares  held as
Meredith Realty Associates. Since 1994, Mr. Meredith has served as a director on
and chairman of the Board of Directors of Waterside Capital Corporation.

(6) Includes 4,614 shares owned jointly with his wife.

(7) Includes 3,142 shares held as custodian for others.

(8)  Includes  (a) 17,280  shares  owned by his wife and (b) 3,000  shares owned
jointly with his wife.


SECTON 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

         Section  16(a) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  requires  the
Corporation's executive officers, directors and persons who own more than 10% of
the  Corporation's  common  stock to file  reports of  ownership  and changes in
ownership (i.e.,  Forms 3, 4 and 5) with the Securities and Exchange  Commission
(the "SEC"). Executive officers,  directors and 10% stockholders are required by
SEC regulation to furnish the Corporation with copies of all Section 16(a) forms
they  file.  Based  solely on a review  of the  copies of  Section  16(a)  forms
furnished to the  Corporation,  the Corporation  believes that all Section 16(a)
filing  requirements  applicable  to our executive  officers,  directors and 10%
stockholders were complied with in a timely manner for the year 2001.



INFORMATION ABOUT COMMITTEES AND MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

         The Board of  Directors  held  twelve  meetings  during the year ending
December  31,  2001.  During 2001,  each of the  Directors  attended at least 75
percent of the total number of meetings of the Board and 75 percent of the total
number of meetings held by all committees of the Board on which he served.

         The Board of Directors has standing  Executive,  Compensation and Audit
Committees and a specially appointed Nominating Committee.

         The  members of the  Nominating  Committee  are Henry U.  Harris,  III,
Chairman,  Ross C. Reeves, Harvey W. Roberts,  III, Peter M. Meredith,  Jr., and
Robert  J.  Keogh.  The  Executive  Committee  of the  Corporation  periodically
performs  certain  duties  that the  Nominating  Committee  would  perform.  The
Nominating  Committee  will  receive and  consider  nominations  to the Board of
Directors recommended by the stockholders provided: (a) the nominations are made
in  writing,  (b) the  nominee  is  notified  in  advance  of  such  recommended
nomination,  and (c) the  nominee  agrees in  advance to serve if  elected.  The
Nominating Committee met two times in 2001.

         The members of the  Executive  Committee  are Peter M.  Meredith,  Jr.,
Chairman,  Henry U. Harris, III, Stephen A. Johnsen, Harvey W. Roberts, III, and
Robert J. Keogh. The Executive  Committee met twelve times during the year ended
December 31, 2001. The Executive  Committee is delegated the power, with certain
exceptions, of the Board of Directors to act in place of the full Board when the
Board is not in session.

         The  members  of  the  Compensation  Committee  are F.  Dudley  Fulton,
Chairman,  Peter M.  Meredith,  Jr.,  Stephen A. Johnsen,  Gerald L. Parks,  and
Robert J. Keogh.  They met one time during the year ended December 31, 2001. The
Compensation  Committee makes  recommendations  to the Board of Directors as to,
among other things,  the  compensation of the Chief Executive  Officer and other
compensation and benefit issues.

Audit Committee Report

         The Corporation's Audit Committee  currently has three members,  Harvey
W. Roberts, III, Chairman,  Ross C. Reeves and Henry U. Harris, III. Each of the
members of the Audit Committee is an  "independent  director" under the rules of
the  National  Association  of  Securities  Dealers  listing  standards,  as the
standards may be amended or modified. The Audit Committee met three times in the
year  ended  December  31,  2001.  The Audit  Committee's  responsibilities  are
described  in a written  policy  statement  and charter  that was adopted by the
Corporation's  Board of Directors and is attached to this proxy  statement as an
Appendix.

         The Audit  Committee  has  reviewed  and  discussed  the  Corporation's
audited  financial  statements  for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001 with
the Corporation's management. The Audit Committee has discussed with Witt, Mares
& Company, PLC, the Corporation's independent accountants,  the matters required
to be  discussed  by SAS 61,  Communication  With  Audit  Committees.  The Audit
Committee has received the written disclosures and the letter from Witt, Mares &
Company,   PLC  required  by   Independence   Standards   Board  Standard  No.1,
"Independence  Discussions with Audit Committees",  and has discussed with Witt,
Mares & Company, PLC its independence from the Corporation.  Based on the review
and discussions described in this paragraph,  the Audit Committee recommended to
the Corporation's  Board of Directors that the  Corporation's  audited financial
statements for the year ended December 31, 2001 be included in the Corporation's
Annual  Report on Form  10-KSB for the fiscal year ended  December  31, 2001 for
filing with Securities and Exchange Commission.

         Members of the Audit Committee:

                  Harvey W. Roberts, III, Chairman
                  Ross C. Reeves
                  Henry U. Harris, III

Auditor Fee Information

         Audit Fees. The aggregate fees billed by Witt, Mares & Company, PLC for
professional  services  rendered  for  the  audit  of the  Corporation's  annual
financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001 and the reviews
of the financial  statements included in the Corporation's  Quarterly Reports on
Forms 10-QSB for 2001 were $22,800.

         Financial Information Systems Design and Implementation  Fees/All Other
Fees. There were no fees billed by Witt,  Mares & Company,  PLC for professional
services related to financial  information systems design and implementation for
the Corporation or any other fees for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001.

         The Audit  Committee of the Board of Directors has  considered  whether
the provision of the services covered by "Financial  Information  Systems Design
and Implementation Fees" and "All Other Fees" is compatible with maintaining the
independence of Witt, Mares & Company, PLC.


COMPENSATION OF EXECUTIVES AND DIRECTORS

The table below sets forth a summary of the  compensation  the Corporation  paid
for the  last  three  years to the  Chief  Executive  Officer,  who was the only
executive officer of the Corporation whose salary and bonus compensation  during
2001 exceeded $100,000

                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE (1)

Name and                                                                  Stock
Principal                                                 Director's     Options
Position                  Year    Salary       Bonus        Fees         Granted

Robert J. Keogh           2001    $135,000    $18,000      $4,800             -
   President, Chief       2000    $125,000    $31,000      $4,800          1,950
   Executive Officer      1999    $ 97,190    $29,800      $4,800          4,500

(1) In addition, the Corporation provides Mr. Keogh with an automobile. Also see
"Compensation Pursuant to Plans" below.

         In 2001, there were no grants of stock options to or exercises of stock
options by the Chief Executive  Officer,  who was the only executive  officer of
the  Corporation  whose  salary  and bonus  compensation  during  2001  exceeded
$100,000.

         Directors of the  Corporation  and  Directors of Heritage  Bank & Trust
receive  $500 for each Board of  Directors  meeting  attended  and $150 for each
committee  meeting  attended.  Committee  Chairs receive $200 for each committee
meeting chaired.

                         COMPENSATION PURSUANT TO PLANS

         Employee Stock Option Plan. As of December 31, 2001,  stock options for
128,250 shares of the  Corporation's  common stock are outstanding and, of these
options,  94,319 are  exercisable.  Options are granted and are  exercisable  at
option prices ranging from $4.60 to $14.50 per share.

         Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan. As of December 31, 2001, stock
options for 18,000 shares of the Corporation's common stock are outstanding and,
of these options,  none are  exercisable.  Options are exercisable at $12.30 per
share.
         Deferred  Compensation  Plan. In 1985, the Bank entered into a deferred
compensation  and retirement  arrangement  with seven directors and one officer.
Each participant is fully vested.  Our policy is to accrue the estimated amounts
to be paid under the contracts  over the expected  period of active  employment.
The Bank has purchased  life  insurance  contracts in order to fund the expected
liabilities  under the contracts.  Upon reaching age 70, each  participant  will
receive a retirement  benefit  ranging from $391 to $3,355 per month for each of
the succeeding 120 months. If the participant dies prior to reaching age 70, his
or her beneficiary will receive the monthly  retirement  benefits.  The Bank has
purchased  life  insurance  contracts in order to fund the expected  liabilities
under the deferred compensation arrangements.  As of December 31, 2001, Heritage
Bank & Trust had accrued $239,605 to reflect the anticipated liability.
         In 1989, Robert J. Keogh, President of Heritage Bank & Trust (and Chief
Executive Officer of the Corporation), became a participant in the Heritage Bank
& Trust  Executive  Security  Plan.  In the event Mr. Keogh dies before he is 65
years old, his beneficiary  will receive monthly  payments of $4,167 for each of
the succeeding 180 months. Upon Mr. Keogh's  retirement,  he will receive $4,167
per month  for each of the  succeeding  180  months  or until  his  death,  and,
thereafter,   his  beneficiary  will  receive  such  retirement  benefits.   The
Corporation  intends to fund this obligation through insurance  proceeds.  As of
December 31, 2001,  $97,470 was accrued to reflect the  anticipated  liabilities
under the Executive Security Plan.



CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

         Many directors of the  Corporation  and Heritage Bank & Trust and their
associates,  including business concerns in which they are officers or directors
or in which they and/or their  immediate  families have a substantial  interest,
are customers of Heritage Bank & Trust. As such, they have had transactions with
the  Bank,   including  loans  made  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business  on
substantially the same terms, including interest rates, collateral and repayment
terms,  as those  prevailing at the time for comparable  loans to other parties.
Such loans have not  involved  more than the normal  risk of  collectibility  or
other unfavorable  features.  See related party loan and deposit  disclosures in
Note 13 of the Consolidated  Financial  Statements included in the Corporation's
Annual Report.

         Heritage Bank & Trust occupies 7,581 square feet of a building  located
at 1450 South Military Highway in Chesapeake, Virginia. The building is owned by
IBV  Partners,  L.P.,  a  Virginia  limited  partnership,  which has as its sole
general partner IBV Real Estate Holdings, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Corporation. Former and current directors of the Corporation and Heritage Bank &
Trust  own  an  aggregate  of  approximately  34%  of  the  limited  partnership
interests.  IBV Partners, L.P. and Heritage Bank & Trust entered into a lease in
December 1986,  which was modified in December 2001. See  disclosures  regarding
the  lease  commitment  in  Note  12 of the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements
included in the Corporation's Annual Report.

         The  Corporation  and Heritage Bank & Trust  purchase  various types of
business  insurance through the Flagship Group, LTD, of which Stephen A. Johnsen
is  President.  Mr.  Johnsen is a director  and  Secretary  of the  Corporation.
Insurance  premiums  paid to the  Flagship  Group,  LTD as agent for  commercial
insurance  providers was $48,000 during 2001. The Bank has also sold  securities
to the Flagship  Group,  LTD under  agreements to repurchase,  which  constitute
approximately  64% of the  securities  sold  by the  Bank  under  agreements  to
repurchase  at  December  31,  2001.  See Note 9 of the  Consolidated  Financial
Statements   included  in  the   Corporation's   Annual  Report  for  additional
information.

         Heritage  Bank & Trust has  retained  the law firm of Willcox & Savage,
P.C. in connection with certain legal representations and expects to continue to
do so in the  future.  Ross C.  Reeves,  a  director  of the  Corporation  is an
attorney in the law firm. Fees paid to Willcox & Savage, P.C. by Heritage Bank &
Trust were $1,000 in 2001.

PROPOSAL 2:  APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

         The Board of Directors, upon the recommendation of its Audit Committee,
has  appointed  Witt,  Mares & Company,  PLC, One Columbus  Center,  Suite 1001,
Virginia Beach,  Virginia  23462-6764,  as the  independent  accountants for the
Corporation for the 2002 fiscal year. Witt,  Mares & Company,  PLC has served as
the Corporation's independent accountants and auditors since March 29, 2001. The
Corporation is seeking the  ratification  of the  appointment  of Witt,  Mares &
Company, PLC as our independent auditors for the fiscal year 2002.
         A  representative  of Witt,  Mares &  Company,  PLC is  expected  to be
present at the Annual Meeting. They will have an opportunity to make a statement
if they  desire  to do so,  and are  expected  to be  available  to  respond  to
appropriate questions.

         Ratification by the stockholders of Witt,  Mares & Company,  PLC as the
Corporation's  independent  accountants  requires  the  affirmative  vote  of  a
majority  of the votes  cast in person or by proxy at the  Annual  Meeting.  The
Board of Directors  unanimously  recommends that the stockholders vote "FOR" the
ratification of Witt, Mares & Company, PLC.

STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS

         Under the  regulations of the SEC as currently in effect,  proposals of
stockholders  intended to be presented at the Corporation's  2003 annual meeting
must be received by the Secretary of the Corporation, at its principal executive
offices  at 200 East  Plume  Street,  Norfolk,  Virginia  23510,  no later  than
December 21, 2002,  in order to be included in the proxy  materials for the 2003
meeting.  Any proposal that is received by the  Corporation  after  December 21,
2002 will be considered untimely for consideration in the 2003 annual meeting.



OTHER BUSINESS

         The  Board of  Directors  is not aware of any  other  business  to come
before the Annual  Meeting  as of the date of this  proxy  statement  other than
those matters addressed in this proxy statement.  If, however, any other matters
not referred to in the enclosed proxy come before the Annual Meeting,  including
matters incident to the conduct of the meeting,  the holders of the proxies will
vote the shares represented by the proxies in their discretion.


                                  By Order of the Board of Directors,





Robert J. Keogh                                      Peter M. Meredith, Jr.
President                                            Chairman of the Board


Norfolk, Virginia
June 3, 2002


PLEASE VOTE - YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT

Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, please fill in, sign and mail the
proxy.  It is Important that you return your Proxy as soon as possible to assure
that your  proxy  will be voted and to avoid the  additional  expense of further
solicitation.





HERITAGE BANKSHARES, INC.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           HERITAGE BANKSHARES, INC.
                            Norfolk, Virginia 23510
          THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
                       FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                                  JUNE 26, 2002

        The undersigned hereby appoints F. Dudley Fulton,  Chairman and James A.
Cummings,  and each of them as proxies (and if the  undersigned  is a proxy,  as
substitute  proxies),  each with the power to appoint his  substitute and hereby
authorizes them to represent and to vote, as designated below, all of the shares
of common stock of HERITAGE BANKSHARES,  INC., held of record by the undersigned
on April 26, 2002, at the Annual Meeting of  Stockholders to be held on June 26,
2002, or at any adjournment thereof.

     THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY  RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR PROPOSALS 1 AND 2


1.   ELECTION OF DIRECTORS FOR THE TERMS SPECIFIED IN THE PROXY STATEMENT
     [ ] For all nominees listed below (except as marked to the contrary below)
     [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote for all nominees listed below.
         F. Dudley Fulton, Gerald L. Parks, Ross C. Reeves
     (Instruction:  To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee,
     write that nominee's name in the space below.)

     ------------------------------------------------------------------------

2.   RATIFICATION of selection of Witt, Mares & Company, PLC as independent
     accountants, as proposed in the Proxy Statement.

     [ ] FOR      [ ] AGAINST      [ ] ABSTAIN

3.   In their discretion,  the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other
     business,  and matters  incident to the conduct of the  meeting,  as may
     properly come before the meeting.

     This  proxy when  properly  executed  will be voted in the manner  directed
     herein by the undersigned stockholder.  If no direction is made, this proxy
     will be voted for Proposal 1 and 2


PLEASE SIGN exactly as your name appears  hereon.  When shares are held by joint
tenants, only one of such persons need sign. When signing as attorney, executor,
administrator,  trustee  or  guardian,  please  give  full  title as such.  If a
corporation, please sign in full corporate name by President or other authorized
officer. If a partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized person.

                         Please mark, sign, date and return proxy card promptly.

                         Date_____________________________________________, 2002


                         -------------------------------------------------------
                                             Signature

                         -------------------------------------------------------
                                             Signature
                         [ ] Will attend meeting.   [ ] Will NOT attend meeting